American accent: cool or fake?

Indians are not over their colonial hangover. Thus, not only they prefer to speak a foreign language but also try to give in to their accent. At least this is what some people believe. NewsGram brings you the perspective of an Indian student in USA expressing his views on this matter.

I go to University in the US where I am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s and I am absolutely amazed at how many Indian students who have lived their entire lives in India and have come to the US for their Bachelor’s degree put on these really fake and cringe-worthy “American” accents when trying to speak to American people.

And it is not just pronouncing certain words in an American way, but pretty much attempting to sound completely American. I still understand why some people would pronounce words like “mandatory” in the American way but I do not really see why you should pronounce “can’t” the American way when it’s perfectly comprehensible the way we pronounce it back in India.

I keep trying to tell a lot of my friends that we should have pride in the way we speak. A Britisher wouldn’t come to the US and change his/her accent. Now while our accent may not be as soothing to the ears as the British accent, I still do not see why you should try to sound “American”.

Some people say that they only hang out with Americans and so it has changed. I find it extremely hard to believe that after having spent 18 freaking years back in India and just 3-4 years in America that your accent has changed drastically regardless of who you hang out with.

Others say it they do it to “facilitate the understanding of Americans”. Maybe pronounce some words differently but not every word you speak. Also, I do not think our accent is hard to understand such that we have to change it to “facilitate [their] understanding”. Maybe if we speak in our natural way, those Americans will be exposed to some sort of diversity when it comes to accents and become better at comprehending other accents apart from their own.

It’s a stupid thing to fret about but I cringe everytime a fellow Indian put on the fake accent.

Feb 27, 2017: The most important part of advertisements is the story line and it gives a spur on the social media when the lessons from the story line are timeless. Needless to say, every time a free-spirited ad is released, it not only sparks conversations over the internet but also leaves a viral trail of debates. Just in the same way, some of the Indian advertisements did when they strove to change the mindset of people with regard to gender difference. We often tend to slur women not realizing the essence of being a woman, it takes strength and an indomitable spirit to be a woman. This article will talk about how advertisements in India are leading by example and discarding gender difference.

Let’s recall some of the advertisements that did away with gender difference.

Nike’s recent ‘Da Da Ding’ ad starring Deepika Padukone as one among other female athletes is a powerful ad which got the people talking about giving importance to female athletes as well. It showcased females of a real athletic figure which is not animated and has got nothing to do with ‘legs and butts’.

(A still from Nike’s Da Da Ding advertisement)

The ad portrayed women as fierce and passionate about sports. Once upon a time, Nike’s product catered almost exclusively to marathon runners and then, a fitness craze emerged –and the folks in Nike’s marketing department knew where to mark their next move, an applause for Nike for initiating a spellbinding effort.

Whisper, Touch the pickle ad is another exemplary of breaking taboos surrounding women’s menstrual cycle. The whisper #Touchthepickle campaign makes an attempt to purge the baseless superstitions owing to Dos and Dont’s in menses. The ad showcases a young girl who dares to touch the pickle while she is on her periods. It conveys a sensible meaning to its viewers to break away these taboos. The ad was lauded internationally and awarded ‘Glass Lion Grand Prix’ award at Cannes International Festival of Creativity.

Many advertisements over the years have sold the cosmetic product but fewer have tried to change the societal conception of beauty. Even fewer have tried to do both, Joy Cosmetic is the brand that did it in India.

(A still from Joy beauty advertisement)
The ad begins with showcasing a well renowned oversized comedian, Bharti Singh asking the viewers “What did you expect, 36-24-36?”, and shuts down body shamers who presumed it to be an ideal body size. The ad conveys effortlessly that an Ideal beauty has nothing to do with body and shape.The advertisement has a sensitive message and is meaningful to its consumers.